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metope
Object Type
metope
Museum number
1816,0610.2
Title
Series:
The Parthenon Sculptures
Description
Marble metope from the Parthenon (South metope III). The South metopes in The British Museum show the battle between Centaurs and Lapiths at the marriage-feast of Peirithoos. A Lapith, on the right, attacks a Centaur, from behind, resting his right knee on the Centaur’s hindquarters and extending his right arm to seize the Centaur’s neck. The upper body of the Centaur is turned back towards his attacker. An animal skin is wound around his left arm. A long chlamys hangs from the shoulders of the Lapith and he wears boots. Dowel holes, in his left side and at the junction of the chlamys, are visible and probably served for the attachment of metal weapons. The left arm and left foot of the Lapith, the Centaur’s right arm and three of his legs, and the heads of both figures and parts of the frame are missing.
Producer name
Designed by:
Pheidias
Cultures/periods
Classical Greek
Production date
447BC-438BC
Production place
Made in:
Athens
Findspot
Excavated/Findspot:
Parthenon
Materials
marble
Dimensions
Thickness:
129 centimetres
Bibliographic references
Sculpture / Catalogue of Greek Sculpture in the British Museum
(306)
Smith 1892 / A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum
(pp.133-134)
Smith 1910 / The sculptures of the Parthenon
(p.30, pl.17 (fig.1))
Brommer 1967 / Die Metopen des Parthenon
(pp.79-80, pl.168-171)
Berger 1986 / Der Parthenon in Basel; Dokumentation zu den Metopen
(pp.83-84, pl.73, 78-79)
Choremi-Spetsieri 2004 / The Sculptures of the Parthenon: Acropolis, British Museum, Louvre
(p.52, fig.25)
Location
On display
(G18)
Subjects
centaur
centauromachy
lapith
Associated objects
cast
(CRM.1415)
cast
(CRM.1194)
mould
(CRM.2342)
Acquisition name
Purchased from:
Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin
Acquisition date
1816
Department
Greek and Roman
Registration number
1816,0610.2
Additional IDs
Miscellaneous number:
South Metope III
Conservation
Treatment
: 12 Feb 2002